Salvaging grapple



Dec. 4, 1934. C, BYLER SALVAGING GRAPPLE DCC. 4, C. BYL-R i I SALVAGING GRAPPLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. lO. 1935 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNiTED STATES PATENT l OFFICE N `1,983,215 sALvAGING'GRAPLE Claudeyler, Buffalo, Wyo. Y 'Appiiatbn January 1o, 14933, serial` No. 651,40

8 f Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in grapples or tongs, x and more particularly to` a novel tong construction designed to lift extremely 4heavy loads such as sunken ships and. the like. y In` my application Serial No. 639,073, filed October 22, 1932,` I have disclosed an improved apparatus for salvaging submerged ships or treasure, andsuch apparatus includes a grapple of sufficient size to form a cradle about a relatively 110 largesunken ship, so -that such a ship may be 'elevated above the water surface where treasure may be removed from the same. Asthe grapple must be of gigantic size, it is apparent in actual practice,f.ordinary tongs cannot be used. `One of the objects of the invention is to incorporate in such a grapple, tong arms which are not only light `incornparisonwith their size, but which are reinforced,toautomatically and yieldingly take care of strainson the tong arms, particu- 20 larly atvtheir tips." f 1 f t Another object is to furnish tong'arm reinforcements of yielding construction to conform to the shapes of the sides of ships to prevent crushing of the hull of a vessel while the latter is beingsalvaged.`

A still further Objectis to supply a grapple in which each tong arm is provided with a nozzle `for discharging a jet of pressure fluid from the tip of each tong arm; the nozzles of the various `tong arms being connected to a suitable header arranged alongside of the grapple and furnished lwithpressure fluid by a flexible hose which may be wound about aweight on the pontoon ship from which the grapple is operated. r

l With the foregoing objects voutlined and with other objects in View which Vwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention `consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, `illustrated `in the accompanying drawings, and

`1o-more particularlypointed out in the appended `claims.` l

'dlnA thedrawing Y d. l

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion ofthe improvedjgrapple with parts removed to facilitate '45 illustration.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 3 designates a main shaft or axle extending the full length of the 1550 grapple. Pairs of crossed tong arms 4 are pivotally mounted on the shaft and consist of lower portions 5 and upper portions 6. The ends of the upper portions are pivotally connected at 7 to links 8 which in `turn are pivotally connected 'W55 at 9 to a tackle block 10 that is raised and lowered 4by a cable 11 whichis wound` on a Winch, not shown, on the pontoon ship that supports the grapple. From Fig. 1 it `may be seen that there is a separate grapple for each tackle block 10, inorder that the power of alarge {il} number of Winches may be applied during the lifting of the load. i

To decrease weight and to add strength at points where needed, each tong arm is preferably of fabricatedconstruction, and the` tongs of each GQ pair may beopened'and be held in open position by any suitable means. For example, the lower portion of each arm may have medially of its length, an eye 12 connected to a tackle block 13 suspended from a cable 14 which is Wound about '1Q a suitable winch, not shown, on the pontoon ship. By properly operating the Winches connected to the cables 14, it is obvious that the tong arms may be held in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, while the grapple is descending, in order '(5, that it may be brought to rest on the top of a sunken vessel, and after the tongs have been closed by raising the tackle blocks 10, the cables 14 can be used to" assist in elevating the load. Owing to themassiveness of the tongs, it is prac- 9g tically `necessary that they'be internally reinforced. I accomplish this in a manner to permit the tongs to flex slightly and to also grasp the `hull of a ship without crushing the latter. For example, eachtong arm may have a reinforce- 8,5 ment consisting of a flexible cable 15 having its lower end secured to the arm adjacent its tip, as

`shown at 16. The upper end of the cable terminates in a rod terminal 17 which is slidable through a hole 18 thatextends through the me- 9() dial portion of the lower part of the tong arm. A member 19 loosely ts on the rod terminal 17 and bears against the outer surface of the arm, and-a coil spring 20 surrounds the part 17 and bears at its lower end against the member 19, and at its `upper end,`against a washer 21, which may beV adjusted along the part 1'7 by anut 22 which engages threads on the part 17. It4 will be appreciated from the above that bending strains tending to straighten out any one of the tong arms, will be yieldngly resisted by such reinforcement, and furthermore, as the cables l5 are flexible, a ship cradled within the grapple will not be crushed, as would be the 05 case if the parts 15 were rigid. As it is essential that the tong arms on each side of the grapple simultaneously open or close, the medial portions of the lower parts 5 of the arms are rigidly connected together by reinforc- `1l() ing rods 23, which, like the shaft 3, preferably extend the full length of the grapple.

As many sunken vessels sink into sand or the like at the bottom of the sea, it is necessary that such sand or other material be loosened from about the ship to assist the tong arms in taking hold. I have therefore provided each tong arm with a pressure fluid nozzle 24. These nozzles have their outletends25 positionedga't the .tips of the arms, and their inlet ends Iareloonincteol to headers 26 which extend along the sides of the grapple. The headers are fed with a pressure fluid such as compressed air from one or more flexible hose 27 which may be wound on Winches, not shown, on the pontoon ship.

From the foregoing it is believed that itheconstruction, operation and advantages of the ,invention may be readily understoodby those skilled in the art, and it is obvious that changes .may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from thespi-ritiof '.thezinventi'omras expressed in the claims.

`what is :claimed and desired :to :besecured lby Letters Patent `iis 1. .A grapple :comprising pivotally connected tong arms eaoharmihaving a ysubstantially semicircular portion terminating inia:tip,iand a flexible 4'reinforcing member extending ,across rthe curved :portion of eacharm and .havingone of its ends secured to Aithearm .adjacent Iits atip, ,and its otheriend :portionfconnected `to the arm at a `.point spaced-from theitip, 'said reinforcing member 'consisting 'of :a .flexible icable provided at I one rend with aLcoiledspring-functioning to -keep :the cable taut.

2.. .A .grapple :comprising pivotally :connected .tong arms, reach arm having `a.substantially semiycircular portion extending from its rpivot point to 'its ftip, afiexible cable :having one of its-ends secured tto (the rtip zpnrtion :off (the arm., the iother 'end :portion of the :cable fbeing provided with a rod terminal vextending :through the arm at .a .point adiacentzits pivotfpointzand yielding means for ,holding 'the cable taut.

.13.. A igrapple fnomprising pivotally connected tong sarms, nach arm having :a substantially i semicircular rpontion extending :from vits pivot gp oint -to zitstip, a flexible cable hav-ing one 'of its ends 'secured :to the .tip nortionrojf lthe arm, the :other end portion iof the cable .being `.provided with :a rod terminal extending through ,the arm :at a point adjacent iits pivot vpoint, and yielding means for holding the cable taut, :the last mentioned means including ,abutments on ysaid 'rod 'terminal 4and .a coil .fspring positioned between :said abutments.

14. A vgrapple comprising :a :main shaft, -a :series .of pairs 'of crossed (rigid .tong arms Apivotally :mounted on said .sha-ft, the Varrns of each Vpair having upper portions `positioned ,above the `shaft and ,substantially .semi-circular .lower portions .positioned below the shaft .and .terminating in tips .extending toward one another, means for moving Ithe ends ,of the ,upper portions .of Ithe arms toward and away 'from one another, and flexible reinforcements for the lowerportions 'ofthe arms,

extending from the tips of the latter tangentially across the semi-circular portions of the arms and through the latter at points spaced from opposite sides of said shaft, said reinforcements being spaced apart throughout their lengths.

5. A grapple comprising a main shaft, a series of pairs of crossed tong arms pivotally mounted on said shaft, the arms of each pair having upper portions ,positioned above the shaftaand substantially semi-circular 'lower portions positioned below the shaft, means for moving the ends of the upper portions of the arms toward and away from one another, flexible reinforcements for the .lowerportions of the arms, extending from the tips of the latter tangentially across the semi- ,ciroular portions of the arms and through the latter at points .adjacent to said shaft, and yield- 'ing means forma'ntaining said exible reinforcements in taut condition.

6. A grapple comprising a main shaft, a series of pairs fof Vcrossed rigid '.tong arms :pivotally mountedron saidshaft, .thearms of feaoh pairlhaving upper portions .positioned vabove the shaft, and substantially semi-.circular :portions '.positioned lbe'low .the shaft, said lower portions :terminating iin tips :and `the tips :of ,each extending 'toward =the tip of :the other, .means -for moving fthe ends .of the supper :portions of the 4arms 'toward and .away :from one .'another, yielding :reinforcements ffor vthe :lower .portions of .the arms, veach of said ,reinforcements extending if-rom ,the itip of the lower iportion :of the arms tangentiallyacross the semi-circular portion, and through the .latter :at :a point spaced :fromsaid shaft, sai'dreinforcements being rspaoed'apart throughout their .lengths and converging 'toward said tips, and resilient `means cooperating :with the arms .and 4reinforcements vfor holding .said reinforcements taut.

'37. Aigrapple `comprising rigid xtong arms having substantially curved portions terminating in tips, flexible reinforcements extending .across l'the curved :portions and A.connecting .spaced .points lzon said farms, said reinforcements being :spacedapart throughout `their lengths to accommodate :an :ob-

ject between them, and yielding zmeanscooperatff/"- Ling :with said .reinforcements to :normally hold them "in taut condition.

L8. .A 4grapple :comprising crossed 4.rigid tong arms, means .pivotally connecting said arms, the arms having :upper portions :above the last mentioned means, the arms 'having isubstantially semi-circular lower `portions Apositioned Ibelow :said means `and terminating :in tipsextendin'g toward one another, means ffor vmoving .theends `of .the upper .portions of lthe=arrns vtoward and away ffromone another, and flexible .reinforcements .for fthe lower lportions .of the arms, `extending yfrom the ftips yofthe latter tangentially across .the semi- .circular :por-tions of Vthe :arms to points `spaced .ffrom'oppos'ite sides of said means, :said reinforcements being spaced apart throughout ftheir lengths, and yielding means for vmaintaining .said A.flexible reinforcements in `'taut rcondition. 

